Street Smarts Summer Cycling Celebration 2010

We would like to thank everyone who attended the 2010 Street Smarts Summer Cycling Celebration! We look forward to putting on this festival for many summers to come. During the event, all of the roads in East Rock Park were closed to motor vehicle traffic, allowing all of the park’s 425 acres to be made available for a full day of free, all-ages activities.

This year, we believe over 2,500 people braved the heat and joined us on East Rock Park’s summit. We look forward to seeing everyone in the summer of 2011. More details will be posted here in the future – for now, below you can see info from the 2010 event, as well as photos taken by us, by festival-goers, and by local media.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Bicycle Scavenger Hunt – College Woods
10AM: Open to cyclists of all ages, with prizes awarded to the top finishers. (at College Woods, corner of Orange St at English Dr)

Summit of East Rock Park
ALL DAY:

Free carnival rides & activities

Health screenings by Aetna

New Haven Circus Collective street performers

Bicycle safety Rodeo, instruction & demos

Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument tours

Bicycle helmet fittings & distribution by YNHH Trauma Centers

Limited bike rentals available for both adults and kids from Cheshire Cycle

Food & beverage vendors available

11:30AM: Break Dancing Performance by Hip Hop Dimensions

12:30PM: 104.1 Begins Broadcasting Live

12:30PM & 3PM: BMX stunt shows by Team E.A.S.T.

About East Rock Park

East Rock Park is a 425-acre city park located on the border of New Haven and Hamden. The park’s summit, which can easily be reached in less than thirty minutes by hikers and cyclists of all skill levels, offers a spectacular aerial view of the New Haven skyline. East Rock has long been one of New Haven’s most prominent landmarks as well as one of its most popular spots for outdoor recreation. In the spring, summer, and fall months, people frequently use the site for running, hiking, road biking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, kite-flying, picnicking, and more; in the winter months, visitors can also go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding.

The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ monument, located at the park’s summit, was erected in 1887 to memorialize the New Haven men who lost their lives in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War. Thanks to the renovation work done by the City of New Haven Department of Parks, Recreation and Trees, the interior of the monument will be open to the public for the first time in decades. This will be a great sight for New Haven history buffs!

How To Get There

The festival begins at the base of East Rock Park, near the corner of Orange St. and Mitchell Dr. This is also where the shuttle pick-up/drop-off is located. East Rock Park is easily accessible from New Haven or Hamden by foot or by bike. For those who wish to drive, free parking is available at nearby Wilbur Cross High School.

Sponsors

About Street Smarts

Getting the New Haven community involved with the Summer Cycling Celebration allows the spread the Street Smarts message – safe streets take Street Smarts.

The Street Smarts campaign was created in 2008 to address pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist safety in New Haven. It the city government’s and community’s response to the number and severity of traffic accidents, especially those involving non-motorists. Street Smarts go beyond simply obeying traffic regulations or driving the speed limit – Street Smarts require attentiveness, patience, and willingness of all travelers to share the road. This requires the dedication of a community of Smart Drivers, Smart Bikers, and Smart Walkers.

The community’s commitment to safe streets unquestionably plays a key role in the reduction of traffic-related injuries. However, creating pedestrian-friendly and bicyclist-friendly streets has even greater implications. Safe streets can lead to more walkers and bikers using the roads. This means people can be more physically active, can be more environmentally friendly, and can save money otherwise spent on car-related expenses (like gas and parking). Ultimately, the Street Smarts program aspires to create a safer, healthier, and greener New Haven.

Street Smarts has been involved with a variety of outreach activities in the city, including organizing the annual Summer Cycling Celebration, promoting International Walk to School Day, developing Safe Routes to School programs, working with neighborhoods to enact traffic-calming measures, adding bike parking spaces throughout the downtown area, and much more. Feel free to navigate the rest of this Street Smarts site to learn more about the program, and about how you can become a part of creating safe streets in New Haven.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about last year’s event or about plans for next year’s Summer Cycling Celebration, contact Jim Travers from the City of New Haven, Department of Transportation, Traffic & Parking, at jtravers@newhavenct.net. Please include “Summer Cycling Celebration” in the subject line.